Examine the reasons for the ceasefire by Pakistan on Line of Control and suggest remedial measures to curb it.

Civil Services Main Examination

General Studies (Paper - 3) : Model Question & Answers


PakistanQuestion: “Aberrations of the ceasefire by Pakistan on Line of Control have been experienced very frequently in the recent times.” Examine the reasons for the violations of the ceasefire and suggest remedial measures to curb it.

Answer: Ceasefire on the borders has been one of the most tangible and effective military confidence building measures between India and Pakistan. Therefore, for Pakistan to disturb the tranquility along the LoC by initiating firing defies logic. There can be many reasons for these ceasefire violations.

  • Firstly, it could be the handiwork of terrorists coming from rear areas, surreptitiously sneaking in between the Pakistani positions and firing across the LoC. But this view is hardly credible given the control exercised by the Army and the ISI on terrorist organisations.

  • Secondly, it is plausible that fundamentalist elements within the Pakistan Army who are against the India-Pakistan peace process may be indulging in such acts, either directly or by involving terrorists. Despite various centrifugal forces and domestic pressures, the Pakistan Army still remains a professional and cohesive force. Therefore, the likelihood of this possibility is also low.

  • The third and more likely reason could be that ceasefire violations are part of a well thought out and planned strategy of the Pakistani establishment. To deflect pressure and resist any demands for an increase in force levels to undertake concerted counter terrorist operations in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and along the border with Afghanistan, Pakistan could be raising the bogey of deterioration in the situation and threat on its eastern border. However, it would not be in Pakistan’s interest to create any major incident on the border with India at this stage.

  • Confidence building measures by virtue of their very nature depend on continued functioning of communication channels between the two countries, restraint, transparency and verification of agreed measures.

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